Chillicothe (Friday, January 11, 2019) – With the
arrival of the area's first significant winter storm of the season due this
weekend, crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation - District 9 maintenance
facilities are gearing up and getting ready to go.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm
warning beginning at 4 a.m. Saturday for southwest and south-central Ohio, which
includes portions of ODOT District 9, and a winter-weather advisory for the
remaining southern Ohio area. Currently, the forecast calls for accumulations
from four to six inches of snow in the northern and western part of the
district’s eight-county region, and lesser snow accumulations to the south
and east.

In preparation for the storm, ODOT crews are pre-treating
routes, fine-tuning equipment and loading trucks this afternoon, and the
first round of snowplow operators will begin patrols at 4 a.m. Saturday.
Crews will then roll into 12-hour shifts at noon tomorrow and continue working
through duration of the storm, applying materials and plowing roadways as
needed.

As always, ODOT reminds motorists to exercise additional
caution when traveling during inclement weather. In addition to reducing
their speed, drivers need to allow additional travel time and maintain a safe
following distance behind other vehicles. Motorists should also pay heed to snowplow
operators and trucks, as they travel at speeds well below the posted limit
and their visibility is limited.